Drunken Babble
by FranzyPearlfan
Summary: When Clark is forced to go out with Professor Sycamore, he gets more than he could have mentioned. (Non sexual)


He couldn't believe he was here. He didn't want to be. It was one of the last days he would be with his son before he went off on another adventure with the Professor.

He frowned. Leave it to Brenda to force him off somewhere. Especially with a stranger. Well someone he hardly knew anyway.

Professor Sycamore.

Layton's current business partner. Off to find a hidden race. It was thrilling. But still it would be awkward being around someone you only known for a few days.

"So are we going to just stand outside this pub or are we going to go in?" Sycamore asked. Clark snapped out of it stepping inside.

'Why couldn't Layton come?' Clark asked himself. 'I know he doesn't like drinking that much but he could just come for company's sake!'

He was sulking and he knew it.

"The usual," Clark told the bartender. Professor Sycamore ordered a beer.

"So how long do you think your expedition will take?" Clark said breaking the ice. Sycamore took a sip.

"We're here to talk about sports and drink beer, no work talk," Sycamore said.

"Oh so you know sports?" Clark said. Sycamore flushed.

"No," he said looking down. "I just don't talk about work in public." Clark nodded. He wasn't told all the details but he knew that someone else was looking to sabotage their work.

"I apologize," Clark said. Sycamore nodded.

"It's ok," he said taking in his beer. "ANOTHER!"

'That was fast,' Clark thought. 'Must be more nervous than I am.' Sycamore took another gulp. 'Or he's an alcoholic!' he sulked.

"I think you had enough," Clark said after Sycamore's fifth beer. Sycamore looked at Clark funny.

"Hey I know you," he said.

"You're drunk," Clark said.

"HELL YEAH I AM!" Sycamore yelled. Clark wondered if this was a good idea. "So you're that Top-Hat's friend right?"

"Layton, yes!" Clark said.

"He's a good kid right?" Sycamore asked. "Never gets in trouble."

"Um yes," Clark said.

"He's happy right?" Sycamore asked. He was smiling a little too much.

"Are you planning on asking him out or something?" Clark said getting a little concerned.

"What!? No!" Sycamore said laughing. "That would be wrong on so many levels!"

"It's nothing to be ashamed of if that's the case," Clark said wondering why he was still pursuing this line of conversation.

"So how well do you think you know little Hershel, Mr. Triton," Sycamore said looking as serious as he could. He was off balance though.

"Uh, pretty well," Clark said. "Why?" Sycamore smiled.

"Do you want to know a secret?" he smirked.

"Um ok," Clark said. Sycamore leaned in.

"But promise you won't tell Layton," Sycamore said.

'If it's about Layton, wouldn't he already know?' Clark said but he nodded. Sycamore smiled.

"Hershel," Sycamore started. "He's my little brother! Shh." Clark laughed.

"And Emmy's my cousin," Clark said. "You're funny."

"I'm serious," Sycamore said looking down. Clark did a double take.

"You're serious!" Sycamore nodded. "WHAT!?"

"Oh that's not even the half of it!" Sycamore laughed. Clark's mouth hung open. "I'm the real Hershel! I gave him my name!"

"You're kidding!?"

"Nope it's the truth!" Sycamore said. "More please!"

"And you wait till now to show up in his life!?" Clark said hoping Sycamore was just drunk.

"Oh no!" Sycamore said downing another beer. "I've been in contact with him before! Like for almost a year or two. I think."

"By mail?" Clark asked. Sycamore looked in thought.

"Wow I'm a bad older brother," Sycamore said. "Tell me what other big brother would go ahead and try to kill their own little brother?"

Clark spat out his drink!

He must have heard wrong!

Only one man tried to kill Layton and be in contact for the past year!

"Oh yeah, sorry about kidnapping your wife," Sycamore said. "Bad Descole no kidnapping your baby brother's friends!" He hit himself on the head.

"DESCOLE!" Clark shouted!

People turned.

"He's drunk," Clark said, not knowing why he lied.

"Yeah that's me but don't tell Layton," Descole said. Clark was boiling mad.

He sat the man that kidnapped his wife. Posed as his butler! And threatened to kidnap Luke! And he was sitting there getting drunk.

And to make things more ironic, Clark was the one paying the bill.

'Stupid life!' he thought.

"Why wouldn't I tell Layton!" Clark hissed.

"You promised!"

'Stupid bro code!'

"Don't worry I'll be good!"

"That's very reassuring coming from a murderer!" Clark continued to hiss!

"I never killed anyone!" Descole said waving his finger. "I'm evil but I'm not that evil!"

"Tell that to Luke!"

"Oh yeah I did try to kill him," Descole said. "Sorry about that!"

"Again doesn't mean a lot coming from you!" Clark hissed. Descole looked down.

"Hey I won't hurt him this time!" Descole cried acting like a total baby. "I swear upon my mother's grave."

"Layton's mother's dead now!"

"Oops," Descole said looking down. Clark knew then.

'This is turning out to be a very bad night,' Clark thought.

"Well she's in a better place," Descole said. He looked down. He really was like a child now. "But you can't tell Hershey about his birth mommy!"

"Why?"

"Birth Daddy is Darth Vader!" Clark stared.

"What."

"Yeah, the head of Targent is birth Daddy, the whole "Luke I am your father deal!" Descole said. Then he laughed. "I am Princess Leia!"

'I wonder how coherent he really is," Clark thought as Descole played with his hair.

"And Layton doesn't have a right to know?" Descole looked at Clark. He was waving back and forth but he put on his best attempt of a pleading look.

"Promise you won't tell Little Hershey!" Descole pleaded. "It'll break his heart."

'I'll bet,' Clark was forced to admit. "I don't know."

"I promised to protect him during this mission!" Descole said. "And I will gladly offer my life to spare his. Whether a gunshot, a blade, or a random laser beam from a totem pole, is aimed at my baby brother or any of his companions, I swear to jump to protect them!"

Clark just glared.

Descole looked at the ceiling as he downed his last beer!

"Really you had enough!" Clark yelled. Descole nodded.

"Yeah I'm going down." He fell off his chair. "Hey nice shoes!"

"Check please!"

Clark grumbled as he got Descole off the ground and pulled him over his shoulder. It was going to be a long trip home.

"Oh pretty!" Descole said looking at the street lights.

"Oh shut up!" Clark mumbled.

Once he got to Layton's office he dragged Descole to the couch.

"What happened?" Layton asked. Clark looked at him ready to tell his friend the truth.

But then he saw Layton's face. He looked so concerned for his new friend. Clark looked down. It was as if the feeling of anger washed away with that look.

He knew what he had to do.

Clark smiled.

"He just drank a little too much."


End file.
